These Instant Pot Baked Potatoes are soft and fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outsides. Serve plain or as loaded baked potatoes with your choice of toppings!
I think I may have finally nailed the perfect way to cook potatoes. These instant pot baked potatoes initially steam in the instant pot which makes the insides SO soft and fluffy, then they quickly bake in the oven to get the outsides nice and crispy. Super quick, so easy, and delicious as ever!
Ingredients
These baked potatoes are delicious on their own or loaded with all your favorite toppings! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Cold Water – make sure you use cold water so the instant pot takes just the right amount of time to come to pressure.
- Russet Potatoes – make the best baked potatoes! The insides are ultra fluffy and the skin is thick enough to hold up next to the moisture in the instant pot. It also crisps up nicely when you bake the potatoes!
- Olive Oil – coated on the outside of the cooked potatoes so the skin gets that nice and crispy texture when baked.
- Salt – adds much needed flavor to a blank canvas.
- Shredded Cheese, Queso, Sour Cream, Bacon, Green Onions, Chives, Crumbled Feta, etc. – optional, for loaded baked potatoes!
How to make
These instant pot baked potatoes are so quick and easy to make and make the perfect side dish!
- Pierce each potato all the way around with a fork, about 5-6 times, pour 1 cup of cold water into your instant pot, set the trivet inside, then place the pierced potatoes onto the instant pot trivet.
- Close and lock the lid, then cook on HIGH for 15 minutes. Do a natural release for 10 minutes then flip the valve and release remaining pressure.
- Remove the potatoes from the instant pot and place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes or until the skin has crisped to your liking. Remove the potatoes from the oven and cut a small X on the top of each.
- Use your hands to press the potatoes inward so they “bloom” from the X.
- Sprinkle with salt and serve as desired!
What potatoes to use
I highly recommend using russet potatoes for this recipe.
Technically you can use any type of potato for baked potatoes, the higher starch content and thicker skin of russet potatoes gives them a fluffy texture on the inside and crispy texture on the outside. That perfect baked potato texture isn’t quite achieved with other varieties.
If you are looking for something a little bit different, check out my instant pot sweet potatoes instead!
Do you wrap instant pot baked potatoes in foil?
No! Potatoes are wrapped in foil when baked to hold in the moisture so they can steam in the oven, but because the instant pot traps in so much moisture, the potatoes steam perfectly without being wrapped in foil.
How long do you cook baked potatoes in the instant pot?
The potatoes cook at HIGH pressure for 15 minutes in the instant pot then bake for 10 minutes in the oven. This gives them just the right amount of time to get soft and fluffy in the middle and crispy on the outsides.
Do you have to bake the potatoes after they cook in the instant pot?
Not necessarily, but I highly recommend doing so. The instant pot steams the potatoes initially while the extra 10 minutes in the oven helps crisp the peel which improves both flavor and texture.
How to serve instant pot baked potatoes
These instant pot baked potatoes are delicious topped with a slice of butter or loaded and smothered with all your favorite toppings. I love to serve mine with shredded cheese, queso, sour cream, bacon, green onions, chives, and crumbled feta! I sometimes even go the extra mile and whip up a batch of instant pot chili to ladle over top!
You can serve them on their own or as a side to a delicious entree!
How to store
Leftover baked potatoes will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing already cooked potatoes because the texture will be affected.
To reheat, bake or microwave until warmed through.
– Jennifer
Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold water
- 4 (6-7 oz) russet potatoes washed and dried
- Olive oil to taste
- Salt to taste
- Shredded cheese, queso, sour cream, bacon, green onions, chives, crumbled feta, etc. optional for turning into loaded baked potatoes
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Pour 1 cup cold water into your 6 quart Instant Pot, then place in trivet. Set aside.
- Pierce each potato all the way around with a fork, about 5-6 times, then place the pierced potatoes onto the trivet (stacking on top of each other, if necessary).
- Close and lock the lid - be sure the pressure valve is pointed toward SEALING.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
- Allow the pot to naturally release for 10 minutes before flipping the valve to release any remaining pressure and removing the lid.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, then carefully place the potatoes onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Rub each potato all over with olive oil then sprinkle generously with salt.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the skin is crisped to your liking.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven, cut a small X on the top of each potato then use your hands (be careful, they’re hot!) to gently press the potatoes inward so that they “bloom” from the X.
- Sprinkle the inside flesh with salt, then top with desired toppings and enjoy!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.